The best gifts for your husband fit the things he does when nobody is choosing for him. Look at what he reads, makes, plays or plans for the weekend. A present can support an established hobby or give him a manageable way to try something he keeps talking about.
Specialist equipment is easier to choose when you know the model he uses. Accessories and books can leave the bigger decisions in his hands.
Small gifts means size, not price.
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31 gift ideas
MEATER Plus is a meat thermometer with no wires at all. The probe reads both the meat's internal temperature and the heat around it, and the MEATER app estimates how long the cook has left. It connects over Bluetooth at up to 165ft, and the probe goes in the dishwasher.
Read the bbq lovers guide
Capture clips a camera to a backpack strap or belt. That keeps it steady and close to hand on a hike or a bike ride, without a strap swinging round their neck. It suits photographers who walk a long way with their camera.
Read the photographers guide
Most guitarists want to practise more but can't crank an amp at home. The Mustang Micro plugs straight into the guitar and turns any headphones into an amp, with 12 amp models and 12 effects. It streams backing tracks by Bluetooth, records to a computer over USB and runs about four hours on a charge.
Read the guitarists guide
A Kindle suits book lovers who get through a lot of books or read on holiday. The 2024 Paperwhite has a 7-inch glare-free screen that's easy to read in sunshine, and one charge lasts up to 12 weeks. There are no notifications or apps to distract them, and this version has no ads on the lock screen.
Read the book lovers guide
The AeroPress Go makes a cup of coffee in about two minutes, and the whole press packs inside its own mug. It comes with paper filters, a stirrer, a scoop and a lid for the cup. The mug is shatterproof, which helps when it's rattling around in a kit bag.
Read the campers guide
Jaques of London have made chess sets since 1795 and made the first Staunton pieces, which every tournament set copies. This 15-inch folding board comes with weighted wooden Staunton pieces that sit steadily on the squares. It looks good left out on a table and folds up to store the pieces.
Read the chess players guide
Every watch lover enjoys the story behind a watch, and this book is full of them. Matt Hranek photographed 76 watches and their owners' stories, from Paul Newman's Daytona to the Rolex Edmund Hillary wore up Everest. It's a beautiful book to leave on the coffee table.
Read the watch lovers guide
A clear front and back let them read either side of a paper map without taking it out in the rain. The 808 uses a roll-down closure and comes with a lanyard and attachment strips. It pairs with a map they already carry. Aquapac rates this map case for rain and spray, not immersion, so don't treat it as a submersible document pouch.
Read the hikers guide
Audio-Technica's record care kit has a velvet brush pad and a bottle of cleaning solution. The solution feeds to the front edge of the pad from a reservoir inside, lifting dust, fingerprints and static from the grooves. A storage base keeps it all together.
Read the vinyl lovers guide
The ATH-M50x are studio monitor headphones with 45mm drivers. The earcups swivel 90 degrees for one-ear listening, the headphones fold flat, and three detachable cables come in the box.
Read the music lovers guide
The Spot 400 gives them hands-free light for camp tasks and dark paths, with adjustable brightness and a red-light mode. This dark-olive version runs on three AAA batteries. It can also use the separate BD 1500 rechargeable battery system.
Read the outdoor lovers guide
Good binoculars change birdwatching completely, and the Nature DX gets the basics right for not much money. The 8x42 size is the one most birders choose, bright enough for dull mornings in a hide. They're waterproof and fogproof, focus down to 2 metres for close birds and come with a limited lifetime warranty. Celestron sponsors the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Read the birdwatchers guide
If they already have a brewer they like, bean storage adds something new. Twisting the manual Atmos lid removes air, and an indicator shows when a vacuum has formed. This is the clear-glass 1.2-litre version.
Read the coffee lovers guide
The Dash Cam Mini 3 is about the size of a car key, so it tucks away behind the rear-view mirror. It records 1080p video with a 140-degree view and a built-in polariser that cuts windscreen glare, saves footage automatically if it detects an incident, and responds to voice commands.
Read the car lovers guide
Hanayama's cast metal puzzles look like small sculptures, and the Enigma is one of the hardest. It's a level 6 Grand Master puzzle designed by Eldon Vaughn, where they have to twist the swirled pieces apart and then put them back together.
Read the puzzle lovers guide
This compact Hario hand mill lets them grind their own beans. It has adjustable ceramic burrs and a 24 g grounds container for small batches. The plastic body keeps it portable, though turning the handle takes more effort than using an electric grinder.
Read the coffee lovers guide
The Cloud III pairs over-ear headphones with a detachable microphone for game chat. Its 3.5 mm connection and USB adapters give several ways to plug in, including supported PC and console setups, and the volume and mute controls sit on the earcup. It suits someone whose old headset needs replacing and who's happy to use a cable. This is the wired Cloud III, not the similarly named wireless version.
Read the gamers guide
The Kaweco Sport is only 10.5cm long with the cap on, so it slips into a pocket. Put the cap on the end and it becomes a full-size pen. The Classic Sport in black has a gold-plated nib and a gold logo on the cap.
Read the writers guide
Pocket holes are the quickest way to make strong joints for shelves, cabinets and frames. The Kreg 320 is a portable jig that drills them in wood from 12mm to 38mm thick, with stops set for the common sizes. It comes with the stepped drill bit, a driver bit, sample screws and a carry case.
Read the woodworkers guide
This is a near life-size LEGO model of the original Nintendo Game Boy, made for display. The buttons, contrast dial and cartridge slot are all recreated, and it comes with brick-built Super Mario Land and Zelda: Link's Awakening cartridges plus swappable lenticular screens. It's a great retro build for anyone who grew up with one.
Read the lego fans guide
Tech lovers spend all day with a mouse in their hand, and the MX Master 3S is the one many of them rate as the best. Its MagSpeed wheel flies through long documents, the clicks are almost silent and it tracks even on glass. It can switch between computers, and the shape fits a hand properly.
Read the tech lovers guide
Ooni's cutter has a big 11.3cm stainless steel wheel and an easy-grip handle made from glass-reinforced nylon. It goes in the dishwasher.
Read the pizza makers guide
This quiz game suits a film night with friends or family. Teams answer 800 questions about films from several decades and genres, from classics to recent blockbusters, and whoever gets the most right wins. It's a small box with 100 double-sided cards, so it's easy to bring out after dinner.
Read the film lovers guide
A good tackle box keeps lures sorted and dry. Plano's waterproof 3700 has an O-ring seal rated IPX7, adjustable dividers, a clear lid to see what's inside and a single latch that opens with one hand. It's 14 by 9 by 3.25 inches.
Read the anglers guide
The PuttOUT trainer has a curved ramp that sends a putt back to them. If the ball rolls back, the putt would have dropped. A small target inside only holds the ball when the pace and line are spot on, and the base is the width of a real hole. It folds small enough for a golf bag pocket.
Read the golfers guide
This inflatable camping pillow has a contoured shape and a soft fabric surface. The regular model measures 34 × 26 × 11 cm inflated. Its PillowLock system is designed to attach to compatible Sea to Summit sleeping mats, so ask which mat they use.
Read the outdoor lovers guide
The Silk Roads turns world history round to face east. Oxford historian Peter Frankopan follows the trade routes that linked Europe and Asia and shows how ideas, religions and empires moved along them, from Buddhism's spread to the wars of the 20th century. It's an international bestseller that makes familiar history look new.
Read the history buffs guide
The Alien II packs 31 tools into a two-piece body. There are hex keys from 2 to 10mm, a chain tool for chains up to 12-speed, spoke wrenches, two tyre levers and even a bottle opener. It weighs 290g and comes with a nylon bag, so it lives in a saddlebag or jersey pocket until something goes wrong.
Read the cyclists guide
The grey Nanopresso is a hand-pumped espresso maker for trips where they can bring coffee and hot water. It works without electricity, but it doesn’t heat the water itself. This is the ground-coffee version. To use capsules they’d need a separate compatible adapter.
Read the coffee lovers guide
One handle and a pouch of bits replaces a drawer full of screwdrivers. The Kompakt 60 has a Kraftform handle with a quick-release chuck and 16 long bits covering slotted, Phillips, Pozidriv, Torx and hex screws. It all folds into a small pouch, and Wera's handles are comfortable for long jobs.
Read the diyers guide
This pocket box has 12 Cotman half pans and a travel brush, so they can paint wherever they stop. The colours are a mix of warm and cool shades, including ultramarine, sap green and burnt sienna, and it all folds down small enough for a coat pocket.
Read the artists guideTry another interest or clear the search.
These products are selected from our researched interest guides. Open the guide beside a product for its selection notes, limitations and sources. A recipient tag is an editorial suggestion, so choose the interests that fit the person you are buying for.
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